All caught up!

.....and does it feel good!

Today we have plans to go and get a much needed composter.  I am very excited as this has been on our "to do" list for quite some time.

yaya for getting things OFF the to do lists!

Just now a bird flew into our picture window.... and ten seconds later- ANOTHER ONE DID!

weird.

I need to get moving, but ira has made a picnic in our living room with the  soup she made... and then she gave her kitty its first bath ( stuffed kitty of course ). Now she is outside in the sand box with jared while I caught up on some typing.

Oh and would you believe that after 11 straight days with no morning coffee (just green tea) that I broke down and asked for a big old cup of coffee with extra soy creamer?!?

Jared sure is a bad influence, huh? But as the freshly ground coffee beans started to float through the air and into my olfactory center- I just felt like my SOUL needed some joe.

lol

at least that is  my story.

Jared is also cutting down the last of our beloved mulberry tree. I had named him-

Bendith 

I will miss him greatly.

He contracted some illness that killed 3/4 of his trunk.

Mom & Baby Yoga DVD

with gurmukh khalsa

After a long morning "cooking" in the kitchen, ira and I did some yoga- my beautiful daughter used her baby doll to mimic the poses perfectly ;)

she even stopped to take a break at one point because, "my baby wants to nurse".

Sitting cross legged on her mat, she pulled her shirt down and nursed her little baby. Then she nursed her baby kitty until she realized her baby kitty had its own mama and ran and got her momma kitty and set them up to nurse while she finished nursing her baby. 

It was a sweet moment for me.

Liv found her feet!

August 7th

August 7th

We... ok well I... decided that we must reconnect with nature.

Throughout the long heat of the desert summer, we tend to run from door to door- longing for the cool blast of the a/c on our melting flip flopped feet.

I took us waking up at 6 am a sign that today would be the day. It was just about 80 degrees (downright chilly, huh?) when  we stepped out into the sun. Strolling down the street, Liv in the sling, Ira bounding forward, stopping here and there to pick up rocks, leaves, etc. 

Each time with excitement greater than the time before.

"OOOOH MOMMA! LOOK AT THIS ROCK!"

My eyes see the same river rock that she picked up two houses before...but not  her. "this rock" she tells me "is so beautiful... i never SEEN   a rock so beautiful as this one"..... that is until the next rock ;)"

We went home and sealed her findings (sans rocks) in wax paper. 

We finished up this awesome morning with a yoga session.

august 5th

keira loves to draw- but today her drawings are taking on very realistic qualities. She has been drawing people realistically for a while...but this heart and flamingo are quite good (i think) and the other one is a momma kitty with babies in her belly using a litter box and a little girl.

Can you see it? I can, but I think she is brilliant. Of course. I am her momma!

Updated my slacking blog!

August 1-

Miss Liv started chewing on her fists.

She is also squealing/laughing, although its not so consistent.

August 2- 

we went to the zoo/splash pad after an MDC momma playgroup at the breastfeeding fair. 

August 3- 

I finished amanda's birth flags in preparation of her homebirth!  Although, this is the second set I have made for friends, I forgot to take pictures both times.

Ira made a bridge in our living room with laundry and was being a troll. Not allowing us to path, etc. It was great fun for her and hilarious to watch jared ask permission to cross. We were painting the living room... so needed to cross frequently. At one point jared picked her up to kiss her because she was so stinkin cute- and she yelled 

"Daddy, don't pick me up- I  am  a TROLL right now!"

I also started a goddess painting- pics will follow if I like her;)

August 4-

Liv became mesmerized with her hands & fingers. She would move them in front of her face slowly moving her fingers and grabbing one hand with the other. So cute.

Every day that passes- the more aware she is. I love it.

She has even started stretching in the morning- oh my goodness- so cute. Makes me want a million babies always!

More Dan Zanes Lovin'

on a misty morning walk
i met a friend we sat and talked
about a place for us
all our words rambled high and low
from the catskills down to new mexico 
there's a place for us 
from the coney island rides
out to the california tides
there's a place for us
under a storyteller's tree
or on a riverbank down in tennessee
there's a place for us

where people gather in the summer heat
talk and laughter float on down the street
there's a string band playing and the dancing feet
make such a peaceful sound on the hot concrete

from the town halls up in maine
to the windmills on the plains
there's a place for us
where the farmer feeds the town
and the high school band supplies the sound
there's a place for us

when our borders disappear
and the signs say you're welcome here
where empty new york city lots 
become neighborhood garden plots
there's a place for us

from the rockies to the shore
when there's a land of poetry and open doors
under a sky of endless love
can be the world we're dreaming of 
a place for us

where people gather at an evening fair
crazy orchestras have filled the air
at every table there's an extra chair
and a hand to shake and a plate to share

on a misty morning walk
i met a friend so we sat and talked
about a place for us

Liv is advancing quickly from newborn to baby!

Yesterday, she start really sucking on her hands. Finding them consistently.

Today- she is all about her hands, I gave her a wooden rattle- she brought it to her mouth, dropped it and stuck her whole fist in her mouth and chewed. Chews my shoulder, chews my fingers.

I know Ira started teething early, but didn't cut her first tooth until I think 6 months or so.

This just seems so young to have red gums, no?

She is also trying to roll and tries to sit up when laid in a reclining position.

So far she can get from back to her side and side to her tummy.

She also laughed her first squealing laugh!!!!!

It was so beautiful- like whimsical music!

Ira and I sat on the couch trying to make her laugh all night.

One beautiful thing- Liv was cranky later in the night, she had been woken up a couple times. She was crying and didnt want to nurse or be rocked or anything. Ira came over, put her hands on Liv's head and said, "momma she is tired" turns to look at Liv still with her hands on her head and says "Liv, your just tired". 

Then, no joke- Liv quits crying.

Sister love, Healing hands. 

who knows.

but is was beautiful.

July 31.

Its our 4 year wedding anniversary!

Jared bought me a beautiful gift- I got him nothing :(

Well, material that is.

We also stopped by the library (my latest obsession, can you tell)

and we picked up quite a few random books.

But two really great ones...

Alphabet Mystery

so cute, great art, and really quick! Totally keeps Ira captured... we had to read it to her like 15 times, and when we said no- she sat and "read" it to herself and then to us. She had MEMORIZED it. lol

There's a Zoo in Room 22

Also very cute. We go to the zoo a lot, focus a lot of learning on animals, etc. This si good, adds the alphabet in there and keeps interest with fun rhymes.

Day Three of Green Tea- 7/30

Today was my third say of my big switch from coffee in the am to green tea.

Technically I feel great. No coffee withdrawal headache or anything- thanks to the green tea caffeine.... however.... I feel lonely.

I miss my long time friend.

That hot cuppa brown liquid with a little soy creamer in it.

I will now take a moment to meditate that vision of bliss from my head and instead fill it with visions of me enjoying my tea of health.

[rolling eyes at own absurdity]

Stencilicious

Today, Ira is officially midwestern.

She learned to stencil.

We were shopping at the children's resale shop for new babe gifts and well, I found some of those, but I also found some great wooden alphabet blocks, and a wooden stenciling set.

She really took right to it. It was really fun to see her so focused on holding down the stencil perfectly and tracing it out.

So intent. Then we made a cute little farm pic with a pig, barn, tree, etc.

Supa cute.

7/28 happenings

Today I taught ira a little of what flour can do.

Mix in a little water- and its dough. dough makes pie crust, pizza crust, bread, etc.

Or, you can just keep mixing, and mixing and add a little salt- PLAYDOUGH!!!!

She had a blast, jared had a panic attack when he saw the flour everywhere, and I had a good laugh.

all is well in the world.

AHHHH I love a new baby!

We met the newest babe in the tribe tonight.

I love him.

He is so perfect. 

He also makes Liv look like an amazon baby. 

I think they may be in love.

newer library books 7/27

today we picked up

word wizard

cute. I also never really thought about how fun turning one word into another can be.

melon - lemon

gah!

First Flight (cannot find it anywhere online)

loved the art work in this book. really really loved it.

nice and refreshing.

For you are a Kenyan Child

great art, great story, fun to read. words roll off the tongue.

Ruby' Wish

jared read this to the both of us. I cried at the end. I love a good true story.

mildred and dildred

THE FROG PRINCE

Well, I already said how much I love this store and its owner and alll the employees.

They put on these monthly plays and/or puppet shows.

Last month was the BILLY GOATS GRUFF. totally awesome.

This month was THE FROG PRINCE.

They are just adorable and they really capture the essence of a childs imagination. All of the children, spanning all age ranges- were completely captured by the performers.

I love attending.

I am glad ira does too.

Plus, how great is it to be recognized by your toy store employees and have them remeber details about you?

library list as of 7/24

we renewed all the previous books and picked up-

no matter what

this one was okay- kinda boring? but decent.

counting little geckos

very cute, the art was great, and anything to the "over in the meadow" tune is fun to read.

so sleep story

also very cute and fun to read... ira really enjoyed it as well.

It is a playful read.

once I knew a spider

AHHHHHHHH! do not read this book if you are creeped out by spiders at all.

I had to stop halfway through and let me husband finish it.

I could NOT handle it.

who is making that mess?

Didnt like this one either- ira had grabbed it off the shelf. 

I like messes ;)

new additions

new playthings have arrived.

we are officially in love.

ira wakes up everyday ready to play.... I love hearing her little voice pretending to be a million things.

warms my heart.

New Life!

A beautiful new soul was born to this world by a friend. 

An amazing homebirth by an amazing mama. 

I have the feeling in my chest that I get when I exit a rollercoaster that was thrilling, scary and worth every second of the wait..... the feeling of excitement, not for me... but for all those in line to get on.

I always want to squeeze them and scream "THIS IS SO MUCH FUN! AHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Instead, I watch them get in... longingly, then run my jealous booty back to the  end of the line.

Let me just stay thrilled for my friends for a long time...

because I CANNOT get back in this line for a year or more :)

I cut my thumb!

with an open can of beans..... not joking.

it hurt, but i thought it was a surface cut.... went to wash it- 

Oh my goodness... it was deep!

I will share with you the conversation i had with myself- 

"thats deep. ommagodommagodommagod..... jen you are a registered nurse, you have pulled balloon pumps out of femoral arteries, you can handle a bleeding cut. calm. down."

it gushes blood

"ommagodommagodommagod..... its deep its deep its  deep. Jen. calm. pressure. butterfly stitches. ommagodommagodommagod...... elevate. ommagodommagodommagod..... im fine...

alright, this is fine. this is okay."

I cut some butterfly stitch tape out of a few band aids and i dressed it up.... kept it elevate as it throbbed....

But this is the deepest cut i have had since i had the tip of my pointer finger cut off in a door.

T'was scary. T'was scary.

Cucumber Salad

tastes like summer...

organic persian cucumbers sliced, skin on 

1 med org. red onion chopped

parsley 

rice vinegar

sesame oil

i mix together in a bowl adding more or less of vinegar/oil/parsley to taste.